


Nightmare

by bottledyarn



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Dreams, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-25
Updated: 2012-07-25
Packaged: 2017-11-19 13:05:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/573603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bottledyarn/pseuds/bottledyarn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry has nightmares, and they begin to affect his real life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nightmare

**Author's Note:**

> Originally by request on my tumblr.

           There weren’t any monsters.  No dark tunnels, no vampires, no wolves, nothing.  He was just sitting in a room, surrounded by people.  He knew some of them- his family was there, as well as the other members of the band.  The rest were strangers, and they were all talking amongst themselves, smiling and laughing.

            None of that was scary.  He wasn’t afraid of being around people. The thing that was frightening was that he couldn’t breathe.  He would try, gasp in tiny bits of air, but then his throat would close off and he was left struggling, opening his mouth wide to try and get air.

            And nobody noticed.  Everyone just kept talking, ignoring the fact that he was gasping for air, right in the middle of the crowd.

            When Harry woke up, it wasn’t over. He still couldn’t breathe, still was choking on nothing.  But in the real world, Louis was leaning over him, eyes frantic.

            “Harry!” he shouted, the noise barely reaching him.

            Harry was sat up straight, and he started trying to cough, to dislodge whatever it was in his throat.  He realized he was crying when the taste of salt got into his mouth, and the realization made it worse.  The combination of this irrational choking and the actual choking on tears and phlegm made him hunch over, trying to get air in.

            “Harry, you have to calm down,” Louis said, rubbing his back. “Just pause for a moment and then try to breathe, okay?”

            Harry froze, trying to force himself not to sob, and finally got a small breath in.  That led to fast, shallow breaths that he couldn’t control, and he started feeling lightheaded.

            “You’re hyperventilating, Harry.  Just take a deep breath, okay?”

            Harry sniffed back his runny nose, wiping his eyes as he took a shaky breath.

            Louis took a breath with him, hugging him tightly once he’d calmed down.  He could feel Harry’s heart racing under his skin, and his own heart had accelerated in the drama as well.

            He could feel Harry’s shoulders shaking slightly as he tried to hold back sobs.  Louis pulled back, sitting back onto his feet.

            Harry’s face was soaked with tears, slightly puffy and red from the crying. “You’re okay?” Louis asked, brushing a tear away from Harry’s eye.

            Harry nodded, rubbing his hands over his face. “I’m sorry,” he said, his voice gravelly and hoarse from crying and choking.

            “Don’t be sorry,” Louis said. “Did you have a nightmare?”

            “I couldn’t breathe and no-” he sniffed, blinking a few times. “Nobody even cared.”

            “It was just a dream,” Louis said, kissing Harry, tasting the salt of his tears. “It wasn’t real.”

            “I know,” Harry said. “It just felt real.”

            “Have you been really worried about something lately?” Louis asked, holding his hand. “That can cause really bad nightmares.”  
            “No,” Harry said, and then paused, looking at Louis’ clear, honest green eyes. “Well, I was thinking about us.”

            Louis looked slightly startled. “What about us?”

            “I’ve just been thinking about how awful it is to have to pretend that we’re just friends.” Harry shook his head. “But we don’t really have a choice.”  
            Louis smiled. “Management said we can stop pretending after the tour’s over.”

            “That’s in an entire year, Louis,” Harry said. “It’s just so frustrating that we can’t just be what we are.”

            “I know, Harry,” Louis said, hugging him again. “But it isn’t that long in the scheme of things.  It’s worth the wait, right?”

            Harry nodded, pressing his face into Louis’ neck, his arms pulling the older boy closer. “Yes,” he said. “It is.”


End file.
